FATEA AWARDS 2008

The Fatea Awards, recognise achievement in 2008. All of the award winners were featured on the site during the year.

No one artist is allowed to win more than one award, though many were considered in a number of catagories

The awards come with plenty of kudos and merit, but sadly no big tv show, speeches and trophies. In each catagory we announce the winner and the two artists that came close to beating them to the winning post.

We also have three special awards. The Tradition Award is presented to the act that have traditional folk at the root of their sound and use it to inspire new songs, tunes and arrangements. The Innovation Award is presented for a context or concept that widens the appeal of roots based music. The Lifetime Achievement Award speaks for it's self.

With out further ado or guilding of the lily, the top performers in the 2008 Fatea Music Awards are:

Born in London in 1935, Roy Bailey celebrated fifty years of performing in 2008 with a gig at Sheffield City Hall back in October, having fist performed as part of a skiffle band in 1958.

One of the guests at that gig was Roy's friend for over thirty years and very occasional touring partner, Tony Benn. That in it's self more than protrays not only Roy Bailey's political leanings, but also his sense for social justice, something he's campaigned for through songs and action during his life. It suprised many when Roy accepted an MBE, though as it was for services to folk music it made the decision easy and anyway you can campaign for something better of your country whilst still having pride in it. It was less of a surprise when Roy returned it in protest at the Government's policy towards Palestine and Lebanon.

Roy Bailey has also been involved in Social Studies at Sheffield Hallam University and encouraging a new generation of political singer songwriters as well as performing alongside many of his own generation.

A patron of a number of folk festival and other causes, Roy Bailey is also a performer of children's songs, often their first introduction to folk music. For all of these reasons we have no trouble in awarding Roy Bailey our 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award.